Penelope’s 2nd Birthday!

Yesterday was Penelope’s 2nd birthday!!

It was a great day.  We started out the day with Penelope’s two year check-up.  That went great.  Here are her stats:

weight:  25 pounds 15 ounces (50th percentile)
height:  34 inches (50th percentile)
head circumference:  19 inches (75th percentile)

The stats above are according to our pediatrician’s new growth chart numbers – according to the old growth chart we used to use, that’s about right except that her height would be above the 50th percentile.  Our pediatrician said that Penelope is on track to be about 5’7” or 5’8” – but that was just a guess and subject to many other things.  Regardless, it’s good to have an idea that she is on a good track!  She will probably be our second tallest kid – Henry will probably be a good bit taller than Penelope.

Penelope has been SO excited about her birthday.  Every morning that I’ve gone up to wake her up this week the first thing she’s done is ask, “My birthday noooooow?”  I’d have to tell her no.  You was absolutely ecstatic yesterday when it was her birthday, and she told anyone who would listen that, “It’s MY birthday!”  She has been pretty outspoken about her birthday meal as well.  She expected a pink chocolate cake and ice cream.  Easy enough.

She was SO funny when we brought the cake over to her.  I was so surprised that she knew exactly what to do with the cake.  She simply stood there basking in all the attention as we sang “Happy Birthday” to her and then she blew out the candles right when the song was over.  Girlfriend knows what to do with a birthday cake!!

When the big kids turned two, we didn’t have a big party.  I was on bedrest with Penelope (seriously, what would I do if I were 8 months pregnant now?!! – yikes).  As soon as I was put on bedrest with Penelope, I started planning how to have a huge birthday for the kids without being able to do it myself.  My friend Amanda had to explain to me that I didn’t have to have a big party and we could just have cake at home.  What a great idea!  I was so hormonal and out of it that the thought hadn’t crossed my mind.  I feel like I overdid the birthday parties last year (I may have been trying to make up for the prior year), so this year I wanted things to be more lowkey so we made the same plans for Penelope’s 2nd birthday as we did the kids’ 2nd birthday – dinner and some cake.

Auntie Ann almost always comes over on Fridays for pizza and wine, so she was going to be definitely at Penelope’s party.  Then we found out that Auntie Ann’s parents were going to be in town and they could come as well, which was so great – we don’t get to see them nearly enough.  I was really excited on Thursday when my mom and dad (Nana and Papa) called and said that they were coming to dinner for Penelope’s birthday.  Then yesterday afternoon I found out that Aunt Jack and my brother, Zac, and his wife and kids could make dinner as well!!!  It was a full house and Penelope was more than happy to be the center of attention among all these folks.  Of course, the cake and ice cream was a huge hit, especially with the kids. . . .

We had a fun night – and very little planning was involved on my part.  I think that was the best part of it all.  Penelope certainly felt celebrated and loved.  Now to enjoy the rest of the weekend – we have almost no plans!

Oh, and Penelope still says that she is three.  I’ll have to ask her this morning when she wakes up how old she is.  It could be anything!!!  But, at least she still insists that she is a baby and not a big girl.